


The Red Silver

by Querion



Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: F/F, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-07
Updated: 2019-03-07
Packaged: 2019-11-13 14:08:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18033188
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Querion/pseuds/Querion
Summary: The Voyager is still stuck in the Delta Quadrant trying to find its way home. Her resourceful crew create a home for themselves. Janeway inaugurates a bar on deck ten for the crew to relax after their duty shifts.





	The Red Silver

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think.

Captain Kathryn Janeway stood at the long view screen in the ready room on deck one. The ship was steadily travelling at warp six towards the Alpha Quadrant. She thought back to the year they first got to this forsaken quadrant. The very first week they met their first enemies, the Kazon. God, the savages took her ship away from her but somehow she got it back. Janeway knew that if she survived that then she would survive anything thrown to her by the Delta Quadrant. She then thought about her valiant crew. All the senior officers, both Maquis and Starfleet. They were all one crew now, a Starfleet crew. Most of the Maquis crew had taken up Starfleet courses, conducted by Commander Chakotay and Lieutenant Tuvok, to bring them up to Starfleet standards. Janeway thought about the crew men she lost on earlier in the voyage. Then she thought of some new members she gained, Neelix and Seven of Nine.

 

Seven of Nine was a great challenge to her. The young woman was a bundle of contradiction. Frighteningly brilliant yet vulnerable and naive at the same time. Immeasurably strong yet as delicate as china. Kathryn smiled at that. She remembered all the fights and arguments they had but also the philosophical discussions which forced her to look at things from different perspectives. It was both annoying and refreshing at the same time. Janeway decided for the crew to have a dedicated area where everybody should relax, a sort of officers` mess or a bar of sorts. When she suggested it to her senior officers they all readily agreed. So deck ten was chosen for its quiet location.

The captain remembered how amusing it was to think up a name for the new bar, that it took the senior staff one week to come up with the name  _"The Red Silver."_   After they had agreed to the name another challenging task arose to choose who the bartender would be. So the "gruesome" task was left in the capable hands of her first officer, Commander Chakotay. Janeway laughed when she remembered how after an hour the man came to see her in the ready room to tell her that he has withdrawn from the assignment. Janeway wanted to know the reason and Chakotay told her that everybody wanted to be the bartender and he could not choose.

 

Now, a month later the dust had cleared and the crew were happy to have a real bar, unlike the holographic Chez Sandrine`s, which was still used by some crew members when The Red Silver was full. Kathryn Janeway had never been to the new bar yet except when it was newly opened. One day she planned on going for a quiet drink after work before she went to her quarters.

 _"So, what shall it be, Kathryn?"_ Neelix asked the captain. Janeway was still getting used to people calling her by her given name in the bar. It was her idea in an attempt at getting people close to her.

" _Huh?"_

 _"Name your poison."_ The diminutive bartender said. Janeway looked around then lowered her voice conspiratorially.

" _Oh, do you have anything strong?"_

 _"Only the best. I have Terran Brandy, Terran Whiskey, Romulan Ale, Klingon Blood wine and the moon ripened Talaxian champagne."_ He said as he reached into a small cabinet and opened it. He brought out a small bottle of Terran brandy in one hand and another of Klingon blood wine.

 

Janeway looked at the bottles for a few seconds then she settled for Terran brandy. Neelix served her some and gave it to Kathryn.

" _Isn`t it a bit late to drink brandy and i hope you`re not drinking on an empty stomach, Kathryn?"_ Neelix said as he dusted the counter with a rag.

" _Not really."_ Janeway said vaguely and drank some more. She looked around at her relaxed crew sitting on bar stools and on couches, others were playing pool and darts or mini soccer.

" _What`s on your mind then?"_ He prodded some more.

" _I need the boldness provided by the drink so i can face someone."_ She said and drank some more.

_I see. Well, good luck, Kathryn."_

_"Thanks."_ Janeway was beginning to feel a bit lightheaded and had a pleasant buzzing sort of feeling all over. She looked around the room again then saw someone sitting further from her on a bar stool. It was someone she had always wanted to talk to but she has been putting it off for a long time because of lack of courage.

 

Neelix saw Seven of Nine walk into the bar and looked around. She saw an empty stool at the bar counter and sat down.

 _"Seven, i`m glad to see you here, so what shall it be?"_ He asked encouragingly.

_"Excuse me?"_

_"Name your poison."_

_"Very well, i require a glass of bubbly alcoholic drink, please?"_

_"One glass of champagne coming up."_ A few moments later Neelix returned with the requested drink and passed it to the young woman.

" _So are you celebrating something?"_ The nosy bartender wanted to know.

" _No."_

_"Why are you drinking alcohol this late, then?"_

_"I require the boldness provided by the drink so i can face someone."_ Seven said and sipped on her champagne. She rather liked its colour and the ticklish sensation the bubbles caused as they popped on her nose.

_"I see. Well, good luck, Seven."_

_"Thank you."_

 

Neelix was sure he was stuck in a time loop or was experiencing _deja vu._ He was sure he had just had an identical conversation with someone a few moments ago but then he could be wrong since he talks to a lot of people. Then he was just in time to see Kathryn and Seven walk out of The Red Silver together, their drinks were half drank. He wondered where they were going before a tired chief Engineer, B`Elanna Torres sat on the stool just vacated by Kathryn with a plonk.

" _Blood wine!"_ She demanded while Neelix rushed to comply with the order. 

" _Where are those two going? To Janeway`s quarters?"_ She asked Neelix in a conspiratorial tone.

_"I don`t know, B`Elanna but i`m sure i`ll find out soon enough then i`ll let you know."_

_"Not before i find out first!"_ The half Klingon woman challenged.

 

Neelix knew that he had met his match.

 

THE END.

 

 


End file.
